By BOB OLIVER
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — The City Council May 28 unanimously adopted the fiscal year 2013-14 budget proposed by Mayor John O’Reilly Jr.
The budget for the general fund is just under $100.7 million for revenues and other financial sources and $100.4 million for expenditures, with the city having an amount of over $363,000 to contribute to its fund balance reserve.
For all funds, the city is planning on having revenues of $251.4 million with expenditures of $254.6 for a fund balance of $3.1 million.
“The mayor delivered the budget for the city charter by April 15,” Council President Thomas Tafelski said at the special meeting. “Since then the council has met several times with the various departments and we’ve reviewed it, had the public comment on it and tonight we’re here to have a final resolution for its adoption.”
Also part of the city budget were the proposed millage changes for the upcoming year. The general operating millage will stay the same as last year at 18.5 mills, as will the library millage at 1.0. Reductions will be seen in the garbage/rubbish and the debt millage for the combined sewer overflow, which will drop .03 and 0.28 mills, respectively. The millage for the civic center expired this year, so the 0.65 mills will not have an affect in the upcoming year. Overall, the city have 25.9 mills, which is a drop of 0.96 mills.
Dearborn Financial Director Jim O’Connor told the council that the only items not covered in the budget are the Dearborn Administrative Center bonding and supplemental capital budget, the Severstal contribution and the Melvindale fire service consolidation because “the items are incomplete and still under review.”
The DAC is the proposed new location of city hall and the administration for the city at 16901 Michigan Ave., just west of the Henry Ford Centennial Library.
The Severstal money is a $8.5 million donation offer by Severstal North America for the redevelopment of the DAC. The city is exploring how it will use the money and is planning to host a study session to discuss it soon.
The Melvindale fire service consolidation is a proposed absorbing of the Melvindale Fire Department by Dearborn. With the consolidation the two fire departments would work together to provide better rescue and fire services to both cities.
The budget goes into effect on July 1.
(Bob Oliver can be reached at [email protected])